Sutera plant named &#39; WINSUSNOBL&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sutera  plant named ‘WINSUSNOBL’, characterized by its low mounding to outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; early and freely flowering habit; large violet blue-colored flowers; long flowering season; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Sutera cordata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WINSUSNOBL’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION AND STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

This application claims priority to a Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights application filed on Apr. 10, 2019, application number 19-9753. There have been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed Plant Breeder's Rights documents.

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant, botanically known as Sutera cordata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘WINSUSNOBL’.

The new Sutera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alajuela, Costa Rica and Carleton, Mich. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and trailing Sutera plants with numerous large blue-colored flowers and high temperature tolerance.

The new Sutera plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in November, 2016 in Alajuela, Costa Rica of Sutera cordata ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Sutera cordata ‘MegaCopa Blue’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Sutera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Carleton, Mich. on Nov. 1, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sutera plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zeeland, Mich. since Dec. 11, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Sutera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Sutera have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘WINSUSNOBL’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘WINSUSNOBL’ as a new and distinct Sutera plant:

-   -   1. Low mounding to outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large violet blue-colored flowers.     -   6. Long flowering season.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’. Plants of the new Sutera differ primarily from plants of ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sutera are more vigorous and stronger than         plants of ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Sutera are more trailing than plants of         ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’.     -   3. Plants of the new Sutera are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’.     -   4. Plants of the new Sutera have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’.     -   5 Plants of the new Sutera are more tolerant to high         temperatures and drought than plants of ‘Scopia Gulliver Blue’.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘MegaCopa Blue’. Plants of the new Sutera differ primarily from plants of ‘MegaCopa Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sutera are more vigorous and stronger than         plants of ‘MegaCopa Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Sutera are more trailing than plants of         ‘MegaCopa Blue’.     -   3. Plants of the new Sutera are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘MegaCopa Blue’.

Plants of the new Sutera can be compared to plants of the Sutera cordata ‘G13340’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,037. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Sutera differ primarily from plants of ‘G13340’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sutera are more vigorous and stronger than         plants of ‘G13340’.     -   2. Plants of the new Sutera are larger than plants of ‘G13340’.     -   3. Plants of the new Sutera have larger flowers than plants of         ‘G13340’.     -   4. Plants of the new Sutera are more freely flowering and flower         more continuously during the summer than plants of ‘G13340’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Sutera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Sutera plant.

At the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘WINSUSNOBL’ grown in a container and at the bottom of the photographic sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘WINSUSNOBL’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada and under cultural practices typical of commercial Sutera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 27° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched three weeks after propagating rooted cuttings and were six weeks from planting rooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Sutera cordata ‘WINSUSNOBL’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Sutera cordata ‘Scopia Gulliver             Blue’, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Sutera cordata ‘MegaCopa Blue’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About seven to             ten days at soil temperatures ranging from about 21° C. to             22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three to             four weeks at soil temperatures ranging from about 21° C. to             22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four to             five weeks at soil temperatures ranging from about 21° C. to             22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             creamy white in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Low mounding to outwardly spreading             and trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit;             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 8.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 24 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about             eight primary lateral branches each with up to 13 secondary             lateral branches develop per plant; dense and bushy plant             form.         -   Length, primary laterals.—About 25.9 cm.         -   Diameter, primary laterals.—About 1.4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Horizontally spreading to trailing.         -   Texture and luster.—Densely pubescent; matte.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 145B.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Dentate, not lobed.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent;             matte.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately pubescent;             matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Weak. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface:             Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Large single salverform flowers; freely             flowering habit with potentially about 920 flower buds and             open flowers per plant at one time; flowers face mostly             upright then turning outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering habit.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about five weeks after planting; long flowering             season, plants flower continuously from the spring until the             autumn in Southern Ontario.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.5 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 1 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;             matte. Color: Close to N88C.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower in a             single whorl; fused at the base. Lobe length: About 7.2 mm.             Lobe width: About 8.6 mm. Lobe shape: Roughly orbicular.             Lobe apex: Obtuse, rounded. Lobe margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, petal lobes, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Texture and luster, petal lobes, lower surface: Moderately             pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, throat: Moderately             pubescent, matte. Texture and luster, tube: Densely             pubescent, matte. Color: Petal lobes, when opening, upper             surface: Close to 90C. Petal lobes, when opening, lower             surface: Close to N88C. Petal lobes, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 90C; venation, close to 90C; color             becoming closer to N88D with development. Petal lobes, fully             opened, lower surface: Close to N87C; towards the base,             close to 91D; venation, close to N87C and 91D; color             becoming closer to N88D with development and towards the             base, close to 91D. Throat: Distally, close to 155A and             proximally, close to 17A. Tube: Close to 22A and at the             base, close to 150D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five per flower in a             single whorl; fused at the base; calyx, star-shaped. Length:             About 5.3 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate to             linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Mostly glabrous with pubescent along the             margin; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately             to densely pubescent; matte. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 137C. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close             to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per             flower: About four. Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament             color: Close to 157D. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 1 mm.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther color: Close to 13B. Amount of             pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 13A. Gynoecium:             Quantity of pistils per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1.1 cm. Style length: About 9 mm. Style color: Close to             145C. Stigma size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Stigma shape:             Lanceolate. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close             to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Sutera. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sutera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: To date, plants of the new Sutera have     not been observed to be tolerant to pathogens and pests common to     Sutera plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Sutera plant named ‘WINSUSNOBL’ as illustrated and described. 